Lindsey Graham Says Russia And Ukraine Would Need To Swap Land In A Ceasefire Deal

WASHINGTON — Sen. Lindsey Graham said successful an question and reply connected NBC News' "Meet nan Press" that Russia and Ukraine would person to switch immoderate territory successful immoderate ceasefire agreement, echoing President Donald Trump's comments astir onshore exchanges.

"I want to beryllium honorable pinch you, Ukraine is not going to evict each Russian, and Russia is not going to Kyiv, truthful location will beryllium immoderate onshore swaps astatine nan end," Graham, R-S.C., said during Sunday's interview.

That thought has been a non-starter for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that Ukraine would "not springiness their onshore to occupiers." His comments came aft Trump said connected Friday that “there’ll beryllium immoderate swapping of territories to nan betterment of both.”

Graham said onshore exchanges would only hap "after you person information guarantees to Ukraine to forestall Russia from doing this again."

"You request to show Putin what happens if he does it a 3rd time," Graham said, referring to Russia annexing Crimea successful 2014 successful summation to Russia's 2022 invasion.

Asked during nan question and reply whether it was nan correct move for Trump to clasp a acme pinch Russia's President Vladimir Putin successful Alaska this Friday successful an effort to agent a ceasefire agreement, Graham said he was "very okay" pinch nan meeting, later adding that he hoped Zelenskyy could beryllium involved.

"You can't extremity a warfare without talking. I do dream that Zelenskyy tin beryllium portion of nan process. I'll time off that up to nan White House," he said.

NBC News antecedently reported that nan White House was considering inviting Zelenskyy.

Graham's comments connected onshore swaps are a displacement from his erstwhile position. In 2023, he said successful a statement that "The Ukrainians understand you don’t extremity wars by giving territory to nan aggressor." The legislator besides warned astatine nan clip that if Putin was not stopped successful Ukraine, "he will support going," expanding nan chance that NATO could beryllium drawn into a war.

Asked connected Sunday astir those comments, Graham pointed to what he believed should beryllium done to deter Russia from invading Ukraine a 3rd time. He said nan U.S. and friends should proceed arming Ukraine, put immoderate European forces connected nan ground, and build up "economic integration."

If Putin were to invade Ukraine again, he would "be fighting much than conscionable Ukraine, having immoderate European forces connected nan crushed arsenic travel wires," Graham said.

He besides pointed to nan divided of Germany's superior aft World War II into East and West Berlin and later reunification, noting that nan metropolis "existed divided for a very agelong time."